Niles Haunted House volunteer averaging 1,000 hours per season

NILES Â? If Niles Haunted House Scream Park Administrator Pete Karlowicz is correct on his estimate, 40,000 to 50,000 people will visit the just opened Mayflower Road attraction this season.

That wouldn't be the case without the Haunted House's cast of characters, one of whom is Gottlieb Christ. All Christ does is average more than 1,000 hours a season at the Haunted House, making him the attraction's top hour eater by far.

As to why he's willing to devote so much time to an attraction that targets an audience three generations his junior, the 75-year-old retired mechanic has a ready answer.

"I can't sit around, and it's something to do,'' he said.

For most, if not all, the 21 nights the attraction will be open, Christ will oversee the park's midway area where visitors plunk down tokens for games like "Fry Your Friend'' and what amounts to a haunted shooting gallery. Another midway activity invites patrons to fire ears of corn from a gigantic shotgun.

Christ is clearly in his element as he points out the capabilities of the weapon, devised by Haunted House wizard Joe Leach.

"When it hits that glass, you should see the people jump,'' he said, gesturing toward a target some 20 yards away and a bullet-proof piece of glass that shields pedestrians from the flying corn cobs.

Although much of his work involves assisting Leach, Christ said he's available to perform just about any job. And if that task involves what Haunted House officials call "scaring the yell'' out of someone, he'll do that as well.

"One time, I planted myself in a corner someplace where it was dark,'' Christ said, smiling. "This one woman, she couldn't see me. When I said, 'You've got to go that way,' she dropped to her knees.'

Most of his fellow volunteers address Christ simply as Chris, a take-off on his last name. But he's known also as Sunshine and the Grumpy Old Man.

Asked which is more appropriate, Christ demurs. "Sometimes it can get real frustrating but that goes away,'' he says.

He said he started at the Haunted House in 1992, when he was coaching a softball team composed of 15-year-old girls. Needing money to assist the team, he volunteered at the Haunted House, which awards proceeds to various organizations that contribute volunteers. The more hours worked, the more money the organizations receive.

And Christ certainly has racked up the hours.

"What I make, I give half to the Haunted House and the other half to Niles-Brandywine scholarships,'' he said.

He said the problem this year is that spinal surgery cut into his hours at the Haunted House. Still, he said he expects he'll be close to 1,000 hours.

He also played the role of the Grim Reaper for this season's advertising campaign. Wearing a dark cloak while posing in a corn picker with a scythe was one of his more difficult Haunted House assignments, he said.

"I can see why these models get the money. That's not the easiest thing to do,'' he said.